EU will provide additional €18 million for Ukraine with the aim to step up humanitarian efforts to the most vulnerable communities. The EU-financed humanitarian assistance is provided to all people in need, irrespective of which area of the conflict they live in or have fled to. Approximately half of the EU’s humanitarian assistance targets people in need in non-government controlled areas. Combined with the funding provided directly by the Member States, the EU as a whole has directed more than €399 million in humanitarian and recovery aid to those affected by the conflict since early 2014.
It is estimated that almost 3 million people are displaced or in need of urgent humanitarian assistance in the EU’s neighboring countries. In Ukraine, the protracted conflict has had a profound impact on the population. With the most recent escalation of fighting in the Donbas region, it is even more obvious that the conflict is far from solved. The resumption of violence has caused water, electricity and heating outages for about 17,000 residents of Adviivka for almost a week.
EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides announced additional funding during his visit to the country: “The recent escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine, and its impact on the civilian population, is of great concern. Here today in Bakhmut, I want to tell the Ukrainian people: ‘you are not alone’.” Mr. Stylianides also said that “all civilians in need must be helped, on both sides of the contact line. Our new aid package will help humanitarian partners in eastern Ukraine to cover urgent medical, shelter, water and sanitation needs. It is crucial that aid gets to all vulnerable people affected by the conflict swiftly, safely and impartially.”
